The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-04-15
NEy srAArPs.

The postoflice department officials are hay
Ing prepared series OF new designs of en-.
bossed amps for embossed envelopes OF the
La aud 5 cent denomination. The head
OF Frank in has been selected for the l-cent
stamp, and the heads of Washington,
Jackson, and Grant for the 3, 4, and cent
denominations respectively. The general
design OF the new series is uniform. On the
the stamp is the legend Omitted States
postage" instead of ~. 5. Postage" as ON
the stamp now in use. This new series will
be- ready for issue about May 1. The border
of the 1-cent adhesive stamp has been slightly
modified t. conform to the design of the 2
cent stamp.
CABINET MEETING.
All the members were present at tine cab
met meeting Tuesday. A question consid-
cred was IN regard to the transfer of certain
u stile Apachrs TO q public reservation near
Mobile, Ala. The elect of the failure of
tine deficiency bill upon the business of the
government during the remainder OF the
present fiscal year was informally consid-
cred. A statement will be prepared show
ing the exact situation of affairs in this re-
gard in each department 1t was decided
that hereafter the cabinet shall meet at III
O'Clock on The days and THURSDAYS instead
OF at noOl. The change, which only APP
plies to the recess of congress, is made for
the purpose of giving the heads OF depart
mems more time during the afternoon for
Tie cOnSutltllOll Oh tHelI nluil.
ALLISON EXPECTS AN EXTRA SESSION..
Senator Allison, chairman OF the Senate
Appropriation Committee is in the city, He
states that in his Judgment an extra session
of Congress is inevitable. 1t might not be
convened until October, but he thought the
public necessities likely 20 grow ont of the
accumulation OF surplus in the Treasury
required assembly OF the Ffteth Congress
at an earlier period. Tho failure of the de-
hclcn'y, river and harbor and dependent
pension bills prevented the disbursement
OF some $40, 000, 600 which otherwise would
have been placed IN circulation, and this
night have largely relieved the prospective
strngency In the money market. y S matters
were situate !, Senator Allison was inclined
TO believe That the financial condition OF the
country imperdtiyely demanded cary legis-
latOn to prevent the surplus from ilccuinu-
latiHg too rapidly in the Treasury.
TIMER DEpREDArIoYs.
The secretary of the interior has requested
the encouragement to direct the proper
United States attorney to institute civil suit
against the lumber firm of Short 81 Picker
ing, of Beaver Ark. for the manufactured
value of about 500 200 feet of lumber, board
measure, alleged to have been purchased by
this firm from parties who unlawfuIly cut
the same from the public lands between the
years 1883 and 1856.
Commissioner Sparks has instructed
Specal Agent Downey, in Montana, that
tiers for taking from public lands wood and
timber necessary for their family and set
tlement uses but that special agents are eX-
pected TO devote their time and energies to
the presentation OF timber depredations up
on large scale by mili-men and corpora
tons.
ADULTERATED BUTTER 1NvEs IG ATED.
In Prof Wiey's forthcoming report Oh
the result OF his investigations as to the |
adulteration of butter he will say that nine
out OF every ten scientists who have ex-
pressed an opinion say that properly made |
ole0margarne IS unOblectionable and whole |
some. Prof. Wiley's experiments have been
progressing more than Il year. The mate |
ials for the investigation were purchased in |
open market in all parts of the country. In |
not more than one-third of the cases did the |
purchase prove to be an aduteration or inn
itatlon except when something else than |
butter was asked for, and the fraudulent |
articles were almost uniformly secured |
when lower-priced materials were called for. |
The adulterated articles usually contained |
between 80 and 40 per cent of pure butter,
the remainder most commonly consisting of |
beef Fat, lard, and cottOn-seed oil.
PROSPECTIVE BOOM.
Washington is dreaming of great prosperi-
ty. The commencement of ship-building on |
a large scale in Alexandria has been looked |
at with envy from thi point but the con-
tracts about to be awarded for a million
soles Washington. The naval gunfactory
will be at what used to be called the WASH
ingtOn navy-yard, but which was (Oct. u |
changed by order of Secretary Whitney into
an ordnance shop. The plans of the secre-
tary contemplate the establishment during
the next two years here of factory that will
turn out forty of the largest caliber steel
guns every year and any quantity of machine
guns and ordnance stores, and that will en-
ploy about one thousand men, on q payroll
Dtn l.sIx |
land in the southern part of the city, or has
a house to rent In that, at present. rather
shabby and unattractive locality, is figuring
out what he will be worth when this factory
Is in full operation.
AN IMPORTANT DECISION.
a decision was rendered by the United
States Supreme Court in an important bank
Bank of the City of New York against the
Mayor, Aldermen, and cOmmOnalty of the
City of New York, and George w. Mclean,
Receiver of Taxes. This is one of thirty
five suits brought by the National banks of
the City of New York against the municipal
authorities of that city to restrain the col
lection OF taxes assessed upon the shares
OF stock of said banks. The question raised
by the case Is whether or not the system of
laws enforced in the State of New \ DIRK is
Statutes of the United States, which requires
That the taxation of the shares of National
banks shall not be at a greater rate than is
upon other moneyed capital III the
hands of individual citizens of said State"
This court answers that question in the mega
tive, and affirms the decree of the court be.
low In favor of the State. This is a very inn
portant decision to the State of New York,
as taxes to the amount of SO, 100000 are in.
yolved, and the National-bank stock affected
by it amounts at par value to more than $780,
DOC, 900. A similar decision was rendered In
the case of the National Newark Banking
Company against the Mayor and Common
Council of the City of Newark, N. j.
A NATIONAL GUN FOUNDRY.
Secretary Whitney is considering the plans
submitted by the board appointed to ascer-
tain the amount of plant required to equip
The Washington navy-yard as an ordnance
He has been I'm consultation with
ordnance officers, and it is probable that the
plans ultimately decided upon will be
made public in short time. While
the report of the board will form the basis of
the scheme of reconstruction of the yard, yet
4 considerable reduction will be made in the
proposed by 1t, mainly in the
f.-t |